The 80 Minutes Meeting That Has Gotten Singapore Terribly Upset
The government of Lee Hsien Loong should just laugh off five naughty Singaporeans’ attempt to make Mahathir Mohamad as the new icon of democracy in Southeast Asia. But Singapore isn’t a nation that would let go of anything remotely belong to them – without a good fight. That’s part of their culture of kiasu (afraid to lose out) and kiasi (afraid of death or overly afraid).
After all, this is the same Singapore that is trying to nominate its hawker culture to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, never mind neighbouring Malaysia has many times more hawker centre than the little island. Naturally, the move by Singapore PM Lee sparked anger in Malaysia, whose citizens have long claimed their own street food.
As the closest ally of the United States, Singapore has long perceived itself as the beacon of democracy in the region. However, the shocking and unexpected downfall of Malaysia previous Barisan Nasional coalition government led by corrupt Najib Razak on May 9th changes the political landscape. The man who defeated Najib was none other than Mahathir Mohamad.
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Historian Thum Ping Tjin 'does not wish Singapore well': MP Seah Kian Peng
Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng on Saturday (Sep 1) said it was "quite clear" that Thum Ping Tjin "does not wish Singapore well".
In his Facebook post, Mr Seah added that he was "amazed that Dr Thum & his supporters should proclaim that Singapore is part of Malaysia (or Malaya)".
Mr Seah was referring to a Facebook post Dr Thum made on Friday, which appeared to suggest that Singaporeans should celebrate Malaysia's independence day.
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Seah Kian Peng added 2 new photos Yesterday at 05:27
Update: Seah Kian Peng 3 hr
PJ Thum and friends ( including Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew, Jolovan Wham) meet DR M, invite Dr M to bring democracy to Singapore, and suggest that Singapore is part of Malaya.
PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Jolovan Wham and Sonny Liew met with Dr Mahathir on Thursday. Dr Thum invited Dr Mahathir to bring democracy to Singapore. I wonder what deep historical insight prompted him to make this plea, to Dr M, whose views on the Water Agreement with Singapore, and Singapore knowing its place in relation to Malaysia are well known.
PJ Thum went further the next day. On August 31, Malaysia’s “national day”, he posted an unusual greeting, “Selamat Hari Merdeka to the people of the former Federation of Malaya”, and suggested that Singaporeans should also rejoice on that day since it was Singapore’s “unofficial independence day”. Separately, in a comment on a TOC video post, Teo Soh Lung said that "Singapore is part of Malaya la".
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Who’s Afraid Of PJ Thum?
I don’t think Dr. Thum Ping Tjin is a traitor
If there’s any real evidence that he’s a ‘foreign agent’ as MP Seah Kian Peng insinuates, he would have been arrested by now. If there was proof of treason, the punishment would – and should – be much more severe.
Asking Dr. Mahathir to ‘take leadership’ on democracy and human rights is stupid and pointless. However, it is not the same as inviting him to ‘intervene’ in Singapore’s directly. As it stands, there is no evidence that Dr. Mahathir and PJ Thum made solid plans to undermine our elected government. There’s no evidence that Dr Mahathir even acknowledged his statement —beyond smiling for the cameras as any politician would.
As to whether PJ Thum ‘means Singapore well’, that’s a completely pointless debate. Everyone has a different idea of what’s good for Singapore. What’s really interesting is the establishment’s singular obsession with PJ Thum.
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Who is the one diverting attention?
Not PJ, not Kirsten and not Jolovan I say!
The whole saga that has erupted over the meeting of Dr. Mahathir and a quartet of Singaporeans is really not as complicated as the Singaporean authorities are making it out to be. Essentially the facts are really simple. Four Singaporeans, in their personal capacities, met the Prime Minister of Malaysia. One of the four Singaporeans, historian PJ Thum called on Dr. M to provide leadership in South East Asia in the promotion of democracy.
Dr. M has just performed the incredible feat of becoming Prime Minister a second time at the grand old age of 92. In so doing, he deposed the ruling UMNO party. In many ways, this was a real victory for the average Malaysian on the street who had become disenfranchised with the spiraling costs of living, stagnant wages and flagrant corruption of the political establishment. Given the stellar achievement of Dr M and the harnessing of people power in Malaysia, it really isn't surprising that activists would look to him as a beacon of hope and inspiration. In that vein, calling on him to take the lead in South East Asia is not really surprising or threatening. It is to be expected.
What muddied the waters and turned this incident into some sort of international scandal is the way members of the PAP government chose to interpret this meeting. Marine Parade MP Seah Kian Peng and Minister Shanmugam made public accusations at Thum implying that he is a traitor who invited a foreigner to meddle in the internal affairs of Singapore. Anyone who can read English will see that this interpretation takes huge liberties in creative license.
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Activists ask PM Lee to look into 'irresponsible' conduct of Seah Kian Peng and Shanmugam
The activists, in the letter to PM Lee, said: "There was no reference to bringing democracy to Singapore, nor any request to interfere in Singapore's affairs. Mr Seah has not provided any other substantiation for his claims." They added: "It is a huge stretch to suggest that wishing Singaporeans a 'happy unofficial independence day' is tantamount to expressing an opinion that Singapore is a part of Malaysia today."
Mr Seah's comments have had the effect of inciting accusations of treason, they claimed, adding that there have been calls for their arrests, detention, & even deaths. They said the allegations were further amplified by the PAP's official Facebook page, which shared Mr Seah's post, & by Mr Shanmugam, who weighed in on the issue.
"It is highly irresponsible for Mr Seah & Mr Shanmugam - members of the People's Action Party in positions of power - to be making public allegations without adequate substantiation or evidence," they said.
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Activists send letter of complaint to PM Lee about Seah Kian Peng & Shanmugam
The activists’ letter disputed that Dr Thum had asked Dr Mahathir to bring democracy to Singapore or interfere in Singapore’s affairs. “Mr Seah has not provided any other substantiation for his claims,” they wrote. On the celebration of Malaysia’s independence day, the activists said: “Our first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew declared de facto independence on Aug 31, 1963, signifying the end of British colonial rule in Singapore. “It is a huge stretch to suggest that wishing Singaporeans a ‘happy unofficial independence day’ is tantamount to expressing an opinion that Singapore is a part of Malaysia today.”
The activists claimed Mr Seah's comments have had the effect of inciting accusations of treason, & there have been calls for their arrests, detention & even deaths. They said the allegations have been amplified by the PAP's official Facebook page & by Mr Shanmugam, who like Mr Seah is a member of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods.
“It is highly irresponsible for Mr Seah & Mr Shanmugam – members of the People’s Action Party in positions of power – to be making public allegations without adequate substantiation or evidence,” the activists wrote in their letter to Mr Lee. “As the leader of the People’s Action Party, we urge you to look into this issue, and take leadership in promoting responsible behaviour among members of your party.”
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3 activists who met Mahathir ask PM Lee to probe MP Seah Kian Peng's 'highly irresponsible' comments
“Mr Seah made serious accusations without substantiation. His Facebook post dog-whistled to online trolls and unleashed abusive online harassment — although he’s since called for civility, he has not retracted his claims nor provided evidence, and his allegations continue to provide fodder for personal attacks,” said Han in the Facebook post. Han also added that the accusations have been “amplified” by the PAP Facebook page, the mainstream media and other members of the PAP and Select Committee, such as Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.
In the letter addressed to PM Lee, the trio urged the leader of the PAP to “look into this issue, and take leadership in promoting responsible behaviour among members” of the party. The trio also called on Chong in a separate letter to “take leadership in promoting responsible behaviour and engaging in evidence-based discussion”. “We urge the Select Committee to look into the issue, and take into consideration as part of your deliberations on online falsehoods in Singapore,” said the trio.
The trio also highlighted the irony that the members of the Select Committee, namely Seah and Shanmugam, “are themselves making public allegations without adequate substantiation or evidence”.
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Kirsten Han added 8 new photos 5 hrs
Pingtjin Thum, Jolovan Wham and I have sent letters of complaint to both Charles Chong, chairman of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods, and Lee Hsien Loong, Secretary-General of the People's Action Party, about Seah Kian Peng's allegations, which are unbecoming of a PAP MP and a member of the Select Committee.
Mr Seah made serious accusations without substantiation. His Facebook post dog-whistled to online trolls and unleashed abusive online harassment—although he's since called for civility, he has not retracted his claims nor provided evidence, and his allegations continue to provide fodder for personal attacks.
His accusations have also been amplified by the PAP Facebook page, the mainstream media and other members of the PAP and Select Committee, such as Law Minister K Shanmugam Sc.
As people in positions of power, there should be accountability for public statements made. Making baseless accusations that triggered abuse against individuals is highly irresponsible.
I urge Mr Charles Chong and Mr Lee Hsien Loong to look into this matter, and take leadership in promoting responsible behaviour and accountability within both the Select Committee and the PAP.
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Letter to PM Lee on allegations made of meeting with Mahathir
By Yahoo Singapore · Updated 28 minutes ago
LETTER TO PM LEE: Three Singaporean activists who met Malaysian PM Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad last week have called on PM Lee Hsien Loong to look into “highly irresponsible” and “unbecoming” allegations made by MP Seah Kian Peng of the meeting. FULL STORY: bit.ly/2MQp7Xq
Kirsten Han, Pingtjin Thum and Jolovan Wham have sent letters of complaint to both PM Lee and Charles Chong, chairman of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods. Read their letter to PM Lee below:
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Open letter to Seah Kian Peng over post that “incited fear and distrust between citizens” trends online
Revealing that he sent an open letter directly to Seah, Facebook user Nigel Li shared what he wrote in the letter on social media. In the letter, Li called Seah’s reaction to the meeting between Dr Mahathir and the activists as “deeply concerning” as he wrote:
- “I understand that you have Singapore’s interests in mind, and that our sovereignty must be respected and defended at all costs; yet, I find it difficult to comprehend why you did not consider the damage your words would do to the Singaporean people. Your words have incited fear and distrust between citizens, labeling Prof. PJ Thum as a traitor to our nation. As an elected member of parliament I would have hoped that you would rise above this and brushed this incident off. Instead, you put these activists on the spotlight and gave them a platform to further their cause.
- “We should not label our own countrymen as traitors, especially in a time of uncertainty for our country. Dr. Mahathir may be pressuring our country in ways Malaysia has never dared to attempt, but that does not mean his meeting with these activists had malicious intent. What we need to recognize is that such discourse is needed for our country to thrive, we need to have richer and open discussion on where democracy is and is headed in Singapore.”
- “While I appreciate your display of patriotism and sense of duty to defend Singapore’s sovereignty, I also am aware of your false assumption about Teo Soh Lung being a member of the SDP. As a member of the Select Committee on Online Falsehoods you would know very well how dangerous fake news can be in the age we are in. Many Singaporeans are now taken aback by your false assumption, how can we trust that your moral position in the select committee is not compromised?
- “I write to you in hopes to clear the air and for you to reassure myself and the Singaporean people that we can continue to put our trust behind you as an elected official.”
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Nigel Li 3 September at 18:20
Today I have sent an open letter to Member of Parliament Mr. Seah Kian Peng.
The letter reads:
- Dear Mr Seah Kian Peng, What I have observed over the past few days regarding your reaction to the meeting between Dr. Mahathir and Singaporean activists has deeply concerned me. I understand that you have Singapore’s interests in mind, and that our sovereignty must be respected and defended at all costs; yet, I find it difficult to comprehend why you did not consider the damage your words would do to the Singaporean people. Your words have incited fear and distrust between citizens, labeling Prof. PJ Thum as a traitor to our nation. As an elected member of parliament I would have hoped that you would rise above this and brushed this incident off. Instead, you put these activists on the spotlight and gave them a platform to further their cause.
- We should not label our own countrymen as traitors, especially in a time of uncertainty for our country. Dr. Mahathir may be pressuring our country in ways Malaysia has never dared to attempt, but that does not mean his meeting with these activists had malicious intent. What we need to recognize is that such discourse is needed for our country to thrive, we need to have richer and open discussion on where democracy is and is headed in Singapore.
- While I appreciate your display of patriotism and sense of duty to defend Singapore’s sovereignty, I also am aware of your false assumption about Teo Soh Lung being a member of the SDP. As a member of the Select Committee on Online Falsehoods you would know very well how dangerous fake news can be in the age we are in. Many Singaporeans are now taken aback by your false assumption, how can we trust that your moral position in the select committee is not compromised?
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Why is the Singapore Government Leading the Charge to Fracture Our Society?
Who are Thum Ping Tjin, Kirsten Han, Jolovan Wham, Sonny Liew and co that they should stir up so much nationalistic interest? Essentially, nobodies – reports, historians, cartoonists are hardly prominent figures. It’s like making a big issue about a Straits Times reporter’s Facebook post – and who really reads ST reporters’ Facebook posts?
So why is the government making such a big fuss over these nobodies and their meeting with Dr Mahathir, and FB posts from years ago? Is it trying to stir negative sentiments against the opposition bloc? For the record, none of the above persons are opposition politicians. Even if they are “traitors”, that’s for Singaporeans to judge, comment and get it over with – the whole issue would die a natural death just like every other social media flavour of the day.
Why should a MP and even the Law and Home Affairs Minister himself add fuel to the FB fire? If these nobodies really committed treason, shouldn’t they be arrested instead of merely flamed? I’d like to see that they get what’s coming if they’ve really done something against Singapore’s national interest.
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Activist Jolovan Wham: Pretty clear Government would not be happy with Mahathir meeting
One may question Dr Thum's choice of person to lobby, but that is a purely strategic question, & has nothing to do with "foreign interference" or subversion, he said.
"Real interference is when a foreign government tries to rig election results, or breaks into your systems & tries to manipulate information and data," he added.
Mr Wham ended his post by saying: "If there's anyone who is being divisive, it is Shanmugam & Seah for their irresponsible comments, & for unleashing a mob on PJ Thum and Kirsten Han."
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MP Seah Kian Peng apologises to SDP over Facebook post
Member of Parliament Seah Kian Peng has apologised to the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) for mistakenly associating former political detainee Teo Soh Lung with the party in a Facebook post.
“As Ms Teo had previously stood as a SDP candidate in GE2011, I had assumed she was still a member. I apologise for this wrong assumption and thank SDP for the clarification,” said the Marine Parade GRC MP, who is also a member of the government’s Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods.
Seah had on Saturday (1 September) posted his views on a meeting historian Thum Ping Tjin and several other Singaporeans had with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In it, Seah referred to a Facebook comment made by Teo, in which she said “Singapore is part of Malaya la”.
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MP Seah Kian Peng apologises for wrongly assuming Teo Soh Lung is an SDP member
Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng on Monday (Sep 3) apologised in a Facebook post for wrongly assuming that former Internal Security Act detainee Teo Soh Lung is a member of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
His post came after the SDP pointed out that Ms Teo is no longer a member of the party.
“As Ms Teo had previously stood as a SDP candidate in GE2011, I had assumed she was still a member. I apologise for this wrong assumption and thank SDP for the clarification,” Mr Seah said.
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MP Seah Kian Peng urges netizens not to get 'personal or abusive' in debate over Thum Ping Tjin's comment
MP Seah Kian Peng on Monday (Sept 3) called on netizens to maintain a certain decorum in their comments and "not get personal or abusive", in a new Facebook post about historian Thum Ping Tjin.
Mr Seah was following up on an earlier post about Dr Thum and freelance journalist Kirsten Han, who were part of a group that met Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Putrajaya last Thursday.
In his initial post last Saturday, Mr Seah questioned Dr Thum for suggesting that Singaporeans should also rejoice on Malaysia's independence day, among other things. He also said "it appears quite clear to me that PJ Thum does not wish Singapore well".
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People's Action Party shared Seah Kian Peng's post 1 September at 18:58
In a Facebook post, MP Seah Kian Peng questioned Thum Ping Tjin for suggesting Singapore is part of Malaysia.
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Exile Tan Wah Piow invited Mahathir to democracy conference, not Thum Ping Tjin: Kirsten Han
It was political exile Tan Wah Piow, and not historian Thum Ping Tjin, who invited Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to address a conference about democracy in Southeast Asia, said activist Kirsten Han in the latest development in the controversy over a meeting between Mahathir and a group of Singaporeans.
Han was responding to a statement by Sunny Lee, press secretary to Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, on the meeting which took place last Thursday (30 August). Lee had said, “Dr Thum also invited Dr Mahathir to address a conference about promoting democracy in Southeast Asia. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Han stressed, “This isn’t fact. It’s inaccurate. It was not Pingtjin Thum who invited Dr Mahathir. It was Tan Wah Piow. The conference is the project of Wah Piow and Malaysian activist Hishamuddin Rais; the rest of us are not involved in it.” Malaysian activist Hishamuddin, foreign worker advocate Jolovan Wham and graphic novelist Sonny Liew were also present at the meeting.
Tan also commented on the post, “Hi Kirsten, You are right. The invite was from me, on behalf of FORSEA, that was accurately reported in the press. PJ is not part of the organisation.”
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Kirsten Han 17 hrs
“Dr Thum also invited Dr Mahathir to address a conference about promoting democracy in Southeast Asia, “which obviously includes Singapore”, Mr Lee said.”
This isn’t fact. It’s inaccurate. It was not Pingtjin Thum who invited Dr Mahathir to address a conference about democracy in Southeast Asia. It was Tan Wah-Piow. The conference is the project of Wah Piow and Malaysian activist Hishamuddin Rais; the rest of us are not involved in it.
In any case, conferences about promoting democracy, whether in a particular region or globally, are very common. World leaders/politicians, as well as other public figures and dignitaries, are invited to speak at them all the time. Examples include: Oslo Freedom Forum (global), Athens Democracy Forum (global), East Asia Democracy Forum (focus on East Asia).
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Shanmugam stands by comments on activists over Dr Mahathir meeting: Press secretary
In a press statement, Mr Sunny Lee said that the purpose of the activists’ letter was to “divert attention from the conduct of the writers”. “(Mr Shanmugam) has no desire to prolong this matter. He will nevertheless respond to their complaints, to put the facts on the record,” he added.
The facts were that Dr Thum, Ms Han & Mr Wham met Dr Mahathir on Aug 30, along with political dissident Tan Wah Piow & graphic novelist Sonny Liew.
Quoting Dr Thum, Mr Lee noted that the historian invited Dr Mahathir to “take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression & freedom of information”.
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K Shanmugam shared Seah Kian Peng's post. Yesterday at 07:13
Kian Peng makes some good points about the very surprising statements that are being made about Singapore’s sovereignty.
TODAY: https://www.todayonline.com/…/mp-slams-thum-ping-tjin-sugge…
Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报: https://www.zaobao.com.sg/r…/singapore/story20180901-887690…
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‘A little sad, a bit regretful': Shanmugam on activists' move to engage Mahathir
Law & Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has hit out at the move by a group of activists - led by political dissident Tan Wah Piow & historian Thum Ping Tjin - to engage Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
The duo - along with freelance journalist Kirsten Han, civil rights activist Jolovan Wham & graphic novelist Sonny Liew - met Dr Mahathir last Thursday (Aug 30), where they invited him to speak at a democracy conference next year.
On the sidelines of a grassroots event on Sunday (Sep 2), Mr Shanmugam said: “I think the whole conduct is a little sad, a bit regretful. We can have political differences within Singapore - it is the people’s right.
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Shanmugam on Thum Ping Tjin's meeting with Mahathir: Whole conduct is 'a little sad' & 'a bit regretful'
Home Affairs & Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Sunday (Sep 2) questioned historian Thum Ping Tjin's meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, describing the conduct of the Singaporeans involved as "a little sad" & "a bit regretful".
The group that met Tun Dr Mahathir in Putrajaya on Thursday included former student union leader Tan Wah Piow, Dr Thum, freelance journalist Kirsten Han, comic artist Sonny Liew & activist Jolovan Wham. They also invited Dr Mahathir to open a conference next year on the issue of opening up democratic space in South-east Asian countries.
Asked about the meeting at a community event at his ward of Chong Pang, Mr Shanmugam said: "We can have political differences within Singapore. It is the people's right.
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'Absolute no-no' for S'poreans to invite foreign leaders to intervene in domestic politics: Shanmugam
While it is the people's right to have political differences in Singapore, one should "never go out & invite a foreign politician to intervene in our domestic politics", said Home Affairs & Law Minister K Shanmugam on Sunday (Sept 2).
"I think that is an absolute no-no," Mr Shanmugam said on the sidelines of a community event. He was responding to questions from reporters about the meeting earlier this week between political dissident Tan Wah Piow, several Singaporeans — historian Thum Ping Tjin, freelance journalist Kirsten Han, civil rights activist Jolovan Wham and award-winning graphic novelist Sonny Liew — & Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Mr Shanmugam described the whole conduct of the Singaporeans involved as "a little sad" & "a bit regretful". He said: "Dr Thum puts up a photo of him holding his book on politics in Singapore, shaking hands with the Malaysian Prime Minister, then puts up a forum post saying that he invites Dr Mahathir to take a leading role in promoting democracy, human rights, freedom of speech in South-east Asia. I think it is quite clear what that means."
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‘Ridiculous and unfounded’: Thum Ping Tjin on notion that he is a traitor
In his latest Facebook post, the historian said he will “never stop fighting for a Singapore that embraces these values & respects the dignity & rights of each & every individual”. “I also believe in engagement on the basis of mutual respect,” he added.
Dr Thum went on to describe Malaysia as a “beacon of hope for democracy in Southeast Asia” & said he “expressed to Dr Mahathir the hope that many of us feel”. He also made reference to comments he made during a public forum in Johor Bahru on Aug 18, where he said he did not want “Singapore to ‘do a Malaysia’ – I want Singapore to do a Singapore”.
He said: “The solution to many of Singapore’s problems lies with Singaporeans. But that does not preclude us from learning from others’ experiences to make our country better. Human rights are universal, & we can always aspire to improve the quality of our democracy.”
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‘I’m not a traitor’, Singaporean historian Thum says after public criticism over meeting with Dr M
Historian Thum Ping Tjin today spoke up against claims that he is a “traitor”, as he responded to a barrage of public criticism over his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week and a subsequent Facebook post on Malaysia’s independence day.
“Any notion that I am a traitor to my country is ridiculous and unfounded. I love my country and my people,” he wrote on Facebook. “I believe democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of information will make Singapore and our world better. I will never stop fighting for a Singapore that embraces these values and respects the dignity and rights of each and every individual. I also believe in engagement on the basis of mutual respect,” he added.
However, in his Facebook post today, Thum wrote: “Malaysia is now a beacon of hope for democracy in South-east Asia, and I expressed to Dr Mahathir the hope that many of us feel.” He added that he did not “want Singapore to ‘do a Malaysia’”, rather, he wanted “Singapore to do a Singapore”. He went on to say: “The solution to many of Singapore’s problems lie with Singaporeans. But that does not preclude us from learning from others’ experiences to make our country better. Human rights are universal, and we can always aspire to improve the quality of our democracy.”
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Pingtjin Thum 10 hours
Any notion that I am a traitor to my country is ridiculous and unfounded. I love my country and my people. I believe democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of information will make Singapore and our world better. I will never stop fighting for a Singapore that embraces these values and respects the dignity and rights of each and every individual. I also believe in engagement on the basis of mutual respect. Malaysia is now a beacon of hope for democracy in Southeast Asia, and I expressed to Dr Mahathir the hope that many of us feel. As I said in my talk in JB (below), I don’t want Singapore to "do a Malaysia"—I want Singapore to do a Singapore. The solution to many of Singapore’s problems lie with Singaporeans. But that does not preclude us from learning from others’ experiences to make our country better. Human rights are universal, and we can always aspire to improve the quality of our democracy.
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PJ Thum is a patriot, not traitor
Furore erupted after the the meeting between Dr. Mahathir, historian Thum Ping Tjin, journalist, Kirsten Han and lawyer Tan Wah Biow. The PAP leaders were quick to take the trio to task and focused their ire on Thum insinuating that he is a traitor who wants foreigners to meddle in Singapore's affairs.
Thum is not new to the Singapore political or civil rights scene. He has long challenged the government's portrayal of history and was grilled at length at the Select Committee convened to deal with the subject of fake news. Before Singaporeans rise to the "traitor bait", I would urge them to take a step back and reconsider the situation.
Would a traitor consistently put his neck on the line with no gain to himself? By consistently questioning the Singaporean government, he is, in fact, drawing unwanted attention on himself and to what gain? Looking at the situation as is, he has gained absolutely nothing while attracting a lot of ill will from the power brokers. This leads me to the conclusion that he is either a masochist or a patriot willing to put his ass on the line out of love and loyalty to country. In his own words, Thum will never stop fighting for democracy in Singapore.
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That KL meeting: And the winner is … Dr M
If someone invited me to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, my first instinct would be to say “yes’’. It doesn’t matter what hat I’m wearing (whether journalist or not), I am a curious enough human being to want to see what Dr M is like. Like him or hate him, he’s a personality.
But he’s no friend of Singapore, some people would say, and I would then go: So? Does being in the same room as him make me anti-Singaporean? Is this guilt by association? In fact, I would relish the opportunity to ask him some questions such as “Prime Minister Mahathir, may I ask why you seem to insist on bullying Singapore? It’s so last millennium!’’
Then, of course, questions will also be asked about the agenda of the meeting and who else will be there. It’s not a big step to conspiracy theories from here.
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Activists invite Malaysia PM Mahathir to conference on democracy
Activists aiming to open up democratic space in South-east Asian countries met Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday (Aug 30) to invite him to open a conference next year on the issue.
The group, which included Malaysian political and social activist Hishamuddin Rais, fugitive & former Singapore student union leader Tan Wah Piow, academic Thum Ping Tjin, & 3 other Singaporeans whom Tan said did not want to be identified, met Tun Mahathir at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.
The Straits Times understands that the 3 were Singapore activists Jolovan Wham, Kirsten Han and Sonny Liew.
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Activists want MP to retract ‘baseless claims’ over meeting with Dr Mahathir
Political dissident Tan Wah Piow in an 80-minute meeting with Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur
A couple of activists have called on Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng to retract his public comments about them with regard to a recent meeting between several Singaporeans & Malaysia PM Mahathir Mohamad. Freelance journalist Kirsten Han and civil activist Teo Soh Lung said on Sunday (Sept 2) that they have received threats and abuse from the public following Mr Seah’s Facebook post the previous day.
“Mr Seah's baseless claims have had an incendiary effect, triggering a torrent of accusations of treason & people shouting about us being ‘traitors’. We're now also getting death threats,” Ms Han wrote on Facebook. She added: “Since he's the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a member of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods, I'd expected better from Mr Seah… I urge Mr Seah to retract his baseless statements.”
Separately, Ms Teo, who was a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, added: “Immediately after the publication of MP Seah’s post, his supporters started baying for blood and telling all of us to leave Singapore. Some called me a traitor and said I deserved to be detained under the ISA. Several said I should never be released.”
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SEAH KIAN PENG – RETRACT YOUR FACEBOOK POST AND ISSUE AN APOLOGY
We refer to MP Seah Kian Peng’s Facebook post dated 1 September 2018. In it, Mr Seah makes a series of misleading statements about several Singaporeans and the Singapore Democratic Party. Despite repeated reminders from concerned citizens, he has neither amended nor taken down his post.
On social media, comments related to Mr Seah’s views have become increasingly inflammatory and dangerous. Mr Seah claims historian Dr Thum Ping Tjin “invited Dr Mahathir to bring democracy to Singapore.” As proof, Mr Seah posts a screenshot from Dr Thum’s Facebook page. Perhaps the MP didn’t read it, because this is what it says:
"I urged him to take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of information. I also expressed hopes for closer relations between the people of Malaysia and Singapore."Nothing in Dr Thum’s post suggests that he’d invited Dr Mahathir to “bring democracy to Singapore”. Journalist Kirsten Han, who was also at the meeting, has also clarified that no such invitation was issued. It is puzzling that Mr Seah should jump to such a conclusion.
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Activists want Singapore MP to retract ‘baseless claims’ over meeting with Dr M
A couple of activists have called on Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng to retract his public comments about them with regard to a recent meeting between several Singaporeans and Malaysia Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Freelance journalist Kirsten Han and civil activist Teo Soh Lung said yesterday that they have received threats & abuse from the public following Seah’s Facebook post the previous day.
“Seah's baseless claims have had an incendiary effect, triggering a torrent of accusations of treason & people shouting about us being ‘traitors’. We're now also getting death threats,” Han wrote on Facebook. She added: “Since he's the Deputy Speaker of Parliament & a member of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods, I'd expected better from Mr Seah I urge Mr Seah to retract his baseless statements.”
related: And the winner of that KL meeting is ... Dr M
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Is it right for a Member of Parliament to incite hatred against citizens?
I am not amused by MP Seah Kian Peng’s facebook post. He claims that Dr Thum, Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew, Jolovan Wham and I as well as the SDP are disloyal to Singapore. He instigates his supporters to attack all of us. Incidentally, he deliberately misinforms the public that I am a SDP member. I am not and he knows that. The PAP has a super spy network.
Immediately after the publication of MP Seah’s post, his supporters started baying for blood and telling all of us to leave Singapore. Some called me a traitor and said I deserved to be detained under the ISA. Several said I should never be released. Is this how a responsible member of parliament should behave? Is it right for him to incite hatred against citizens? Is a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods entitled to spread false information against innocent citizens? Should the prime minister take immediate disciplinary action against MP Seah?
Let me tell MP Seah in no uncertain terms, that I am in some ways more loyal to Singapore than him who has a seat in parliament. I was imprisoned under the ISA for two and a half years in the 1980s. I did not abandon Singapore but continue to fight for what I believe is for the good of Singaporeans i.e. a better, fairer Singapore with freedom and compassion for her people. I continue to persuade Singaporeans to overcome fear and lead normal lives as citizens. For these reasons, I publish my political memoir Beyond the Blue Gate. I urge MP Seah to remove his post immediately. I will not lodge a police complaint against him but he should as a member of parliament be responsible.
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Allegations of treason rampant on pro-PAP fanpage
Following the allegations made by Member of Parliament Seah Kian Peng in his Facebook post on 1 Sept, pro-People's Action Party supporters have been calling the named individuals by Mr Seah as traitors and performing character assassination on them.
In his post, Mr Seah wrote that historian Thum Ping Tjin and his friends have invited Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to bring democracy to Singapore, and suggest that Singapore is part of Malaya. The allegations brought forth in Mr Seah's post have been denied by those named by him but still, this has not stopped supporters of PAP to make allegations of their own, stating that Dr Thum and the others are traitors and colluding with foreign powers.
Without elaborating on the claims, one just has to see the comments below posted in a photo published on the Fabrication about the PAP to have an understanding of the extent of the allegations that the pro-PAP supporters are making.
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Why did Shanmugam immediately jump to such a defensive conclusion? Guilty conscience perhaps?
Several People's Action Party politicians have spoken up against this "offending" meeting between Dr. Mahathir, Kirsten Han, PJ Thum and Tan Wah Piow. Marine Parade GRC MP Seah Kian Peng led the charge by insinuating that Thum was a traitor to Singapore. While this has displayed great misunderstanding on his part in relation to his understanding of history, it has also demonstrated the great insecurity that the Singapore government feels.
Mr K Shanmugam has now joined the fray, seemingly deliberately misunderstanding the difference between Singapore and South East Asia. Thum had called Dr. Mahathir to"take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of information".
Shanmugam has chosen to take this to mean that Thum was inviting Dr. M to take democracy to Singapore! In interpreting Thum's statement in this manner, Shanmugam is surely stretching the truth. South East Asia has many strongman politicians who do not exactly play by the rules of democracy. In asking Dr. M to take the lead, Thum could have meant any one of these authoritarian figures or all of them. Why did Shanmugam immediately jump to such a defensive conclusion? Guilty conscience perhaps?
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Singaporeans outraged at PJ Thum who suggested they should also celebrate Malaysia’s independence day
A huge backlash has arisen following Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad’s meeting with Singaporean exile Tan Wah Piow, historian Thum Ping-tjin and activists Jolovan Wham, Sonny Liew and Kirsten Han.
Many Singaporeans have taken to Facebook to express their anger and betrayal at the meeting, and at the events that followed.
After their meeting with Dr Mahathir, PJ Thum and former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Teo Soh Lung took to Facebook to express their sentiments and were also harshly called out by netizens, MPs and Ministers.
related: Law Minister throws weight behind PAP MP who slammed local activists after Mahathir meeting
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Why Seah Kian Peng can be right to read PJ Thum’s views & actions as being against S’pore
Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade GRC Seah Kian Peng wrote a Facebook post on Sept. 2, saying that it was “quite clear” that historian Thum Ping Tjin “does not wish Singapore well”. Seah’s comments came on the back of Thum’s surprise meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday, Aug. 30.
Thum then went on to post two Facebook posts, written with enough breadth for interpretation, that can be construed as undermining Singapore’s own interests. Thum, together with political exile Tan Wah Piow, journalist Kirsten Han, comics artist Sonny Liew, civil rights activist Jolovan Wham and Malaysian political activist Hishamuddin Rais, met Mahathir for an hour and 20 minutes.
According to Han, the group spoke with Mahathir about Malaysia-Singapore relations, immigration processing times at the Causeway, democracy, political reform, human rights and LGBT equality.
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Tan Wah-Piow Yesterday at 13:44
Kisten Han’s account of the meeting is accurate. Pause for a moment and think. Isn’t it good for Singapore if our intellectuals are given an opportunity to have a closeup view of our neighbour’s Prime Minister?
That is why I personally invited Dr Thum to attend the meeting, and to extend the invite to anyone else who might be interested. I took that approach because I like to share that rare privilege with my compatriots. What’s wrong with this Seah character? An MP without political imagination, and returning to their dated bag of tricks marked “Smokescreens and Mirrors”?
For the record, Dr Mahathir did not express any ill will against Singapore. In fact he patiently listened to the dissenting views of some of his foreign guests.
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On meeting Mahathir and befriending PJ Thum
On Thursday, I attended a meeting with the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, along with Tan Wah Piow, Hishamuddin Rais (Isham), PJ Thum, Jolovan Wham and Sonny Liew. Most of us were curious to meet the two-time prime minister in person, and to see this “new Malaysia” from up close.
During the session we had the opportunity to ask Dr M a number of questions. He expressed a range of views, some of which—such as his views on the differences between racial groups and on LGBT rights—we didn’t agree with. I blogged my thoughts from the meeting; Jolovan Wham also shared his reflections on Facebook. It was clear that while we appreciated a rare opportunity to satisfy our curiosity and meet one of Southeast Asia’s major political figures, it was far from a wholehearted endorsement of Mahathir. Which is why I was shocked to see a Facebook post made by PAP MP Seah Kian Peng, claiming, “PJ Thum and friends ( including Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew, Jolovan Wham) meet DR M, invite Dr M to bring democracy to Singapore, and suggest that Singapore is part of Malaya.”
Singapore is still in the middle of figuring out what to do about online falsehoods and misinformation. Mr Seah himself is a member of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods; in fact, he was the chair of the five-hour hearing that I was a part of. Unfortunately, Mr Seah appears to have misunderstood the nature of the meet with Mahathir and the comments that have been made since. His post makes a number of allegations and claims that might lead people to have a very mistaken idea of what happened on Thursday, and our views. As someone who was present at the meeting, I'd like to set the record straight, so as to correct misconceptions that might be spreading online. Apart from Dr M and his two personal assistants, only the six of us were in the room on Thursday. We did not attend this meeting as a collective, but as a group of individuals.
related: 80 Minutes with Dr M
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Sonny Liew 30 August at 22:30
The ST article implies that all those who visited Dr. M were "activists" with a united purpose... The "A" word is of course somewhat contentious in Singapore, as the recent SJI incident shows (https://www.theeducatoronline.com/…/singapore-vice-p…/253106)... and my first instinct was to see this as lazy reporting on ST's part - since most of us were there simply to get a chance to observe the man up close.
On more reflection though; perhaps there was laziness on my own part too. It was clear from the outset that the group was made up of non-establishment folks, and there was always the possibility of the optics playing out in uncontrollable ways, heightened when we found out late on that a press alert had been released (!) Some of us chose therefore not to be part of the press conference, since we were there as private individuals who didn't have any kind of message to convey. There was nothing secretive about the meeting, but neither did we have any statements to make to the press that would have amounted to much more than "it was interesting to see the man up close". Those who did have statements to make did so, and everyone I think respected each other's wishes in the matter.
But again: naive perhaps to expect media reports to be able or willing to make the finer distinctions, so it's a lesson to take onboard. And at the end of that day: it was interesting to see the man up close, what a storied life he has had so far.
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Jolovan Wham with Tan Wah-Piow and 2 others 30 August at 18:35
I met Dr M yesterday for over an hour and we discussed LGBT rights, ethnic relations, freedom of expression and diplomatic relations with Singapore. He said that he found it hard to get along with Singaporean Chinese during his time as a student here because we don't understand Malay culture and norms as much as the Malaysian Chinese. This doesn't surprise me at all because our majority status and privilege makes us less sensitive to the cultures of minority races.
Some of his views though are still very conservative and offensive. He says Malays are unproductive, 'corrupt' and 'dishonest'. The image of the lazy Malay is a well established stereotype, but the corruption and dishonesty was more surprising to me and he said it with such conviction. He also said LGBT persons should not marry because it is against the order of nature, and sex is for reproduction only. This is a typical argument and not unexpected.
Naturally, I disagreed with him on these points and we had a debate about it. I told him the economic displacement of the Malays needs to take into consideration the legacy of colonialism where those who didn't contribute to the colonial enterprise were branded as lazy.
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Seah Kian Peng makes insinuations against Thum in FB post, dog-whistling for named individuals and entity to be called traitors
Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng in a Facebook post on Saturday made a series of surprising allegations and insinuations against Singapore historian, Dr Thum Ping Tjin in relation to the meeting that Dr Thum had with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad earlier this week. To better understand how Seah is making dangerous and unfounded allegations against Dr Thum and named individuals and political party in his Facebook post, we will look at his Facebook post bit by bit.
Insinuation 1: Thum invites PM Mahathir to bring democracy to Singapore
- Seah wrote: PJ Thum and friends ( including Kirsten Han, Sonny Liew, Jolovan Wham) meet DR M, invite Dr M to bring democracy to Singapore, and suggest that Singapore is part of Malaya.
- PJ Thum, Kirsten Han, Jolovan Wham and Sonny Liew met with Dr Mahathir on Thursday. Dr Thum invited Dr Mahathir to bring democracy to Singapore. I wonder what deep historical insight prompted him to make this plea, to Dr M, whose views on the Water Agreement with Singapore, and Singapore knowing its place in relation to Malaysia are well known.
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Pingtjin Thum 30 August at 03:53
I met with Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir today. I urged him to take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of information. I also expressed hopes for closer relations between the people of Malaysia and Singapore, and presented him with a copy of “Living with Myths in Singapore”.
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Former ISA Detainee Teo Soh Lung speaks out against PAP MP Seah Kian Peng
In her rather heated post, Ms Teo also questioned MP Seah, asking, “Is this how a responsible member of parliament should behave? Is it right for him to incite hatred against citizens? Is a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods entitled to spread false information against innocent citizens? Should the prime minister take immediate disciplinary action against MP Seah?”
“Let me tell MP Seah in no uncertain terms, that I am in some ways more loyal to Singapore than him who has a seat in parliament. I was imprisoned under the ISA for two and a half years in the 1980s. I did not abandon Singapore but continue to fight for what I believe is for the good of Singaporeans”, Ms Teo said.
She concluded her post saying, “I urge MP Seah to remove his post immediately. I will not lodge a police complaint against him but he should as a member of parliament be responsible”.
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Soh Lung Teo is with Chong Wen Wah Yesterday at 01:26
I was watching Channel News Asia last night when the news of what MP Seah Kian Peng wrote on his facebook appeared on the screen. Then out of the blue, my online comment and a screenshot of SDP election booklet of 2011 appeared.
Only the PAP enjoys the support of Channel News Asia which never fail to publicise anything that puts Singaporeans who disagree with PAP policies or opposition members in bad light.
Let me deal with the unfounded allegation made against me by MP Seah. He wrote:
“Separately, in a comment on a TOC video post, Teo Soh Lung said that "Singapore is part of Malaya la".read more
SDP distances itself from former ISA detainee Teo Soh Lung and the likes
Following historian Thum Ping-tjin’s meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Teo Soh Lung commented on a Facebook video by socio-political website The Online Citizen that “Singapore is part of Malaya la”. In his own Facebook post, PAP Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng criticized both Teo and Thum, adding that Teo is with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and questioned the opposition party’s position on the matter.
“Really? This is what PJ Thum and Teo Soh Lung and the SDP believe in their heart of hearts?” he questioned. In a side-note, he added, “Note she says “Malaya”, not “Malaysia”. This was what the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) maintained – that Malaysia was an imperialist plot, and Singapore’s separation and independence was a sham”.
While Teo had contested the 2011 General Election (GE) under the SDP banner, the party clarified on Saturday that neither her nor Thum are its members, and they “do not speak for the party or represent us in any way”.
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Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Yesterday at 08:23
In a Facebook post, PAP MP Seah Kian Peng talked about the recent meeting some Singaporeans had with Malaysian PM Mahathir. In his post, Mr Seah cited comments made by Dr Thum Ping Tjin and Ms Teo Soh Lung, including the duo's congratulations to Malaysia on its national day.
He then added: “Really? This is what PJ Thum and Teo Soh Lung and the SDP believe in their heart of hearts?”
Dr Thum and Ms Teo are not members of the SDP thus do not speak for the party or represent us in any way. We did not have anything to do with the meeting nor did we say anything about the matter. We only learnt about Dr Thum's meeting with Dr Mahathir through reports in the media.
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That KL meeting: Bertha Henson•2 September 2018
But the activists don’t deserve this hauling over the coals by Mr Seah who seems to be reading far more into the meeting than most people. In fact, he goes further to accuse them of wanting to be part of Malaysia by linking the meeting as well as Dr Thum’s national day greetings to Malaysia on Aug 31, in which he said: “Selamat Hari Merdeka to the people of the former Federation of Malaya! (and happy unofficial independence day to the people of Singapore!)”
Mr Seah roped in Ms Teo Soh Lung, and the Singapore Democratic Party, into the picture as well because of one line she posted. Mr Seah said: “I’m amazed that Dr Thum and his supporters should proclaim that Singapore is part of Malaysia (or Malaya). Perhaps that is why he thinks it is permissible to ask its current prime minister to interfere in our affairs.’’
I am more amazed that Mr Seah reached this conclusion. I would also like to know how he knew that Dr Thum had asked Dr M “to interfere in our affairs’’. Is this his interpretation of what Dr Thum said about urging Dr M to “take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of information’’? Maybe Dr Thum should have used Myanmar’s Aung San Su Kyi instead? If Mr Seah knows something more, he should give evidence – lest he be accused of peddling rumours.
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Exiled Singaporean activist meets Tun M, lauds Malaysia’s democracy
Exiled Singaporean lawyer Tan Wah Piow said the peaceful transition of power after 14th General Election has become a beacon of hope for many countries struggling for democracy in Southeast Asia. Tan, local activist Hishammuddin Rais and other activists met with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday to invite him to become a keynote speaker at a democracy conference, organised by the group next year.
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Yahoo Poll: Did MP Seah Kian Peng overreact to Thum Ping Tjin's post?
Last week, a group of activists, including Singaporean historian Thum Ping Tjin and former political dissident Tan Wah Piow, met Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad for over an hour. Thum shared a photo of his meeting on Facebook, which was called out by PAP MP Seah Kian Peng, who questioned Thum’s loyalty to Singapore while making claims that were criticised by other activists as “misleading”. The activists said Seah’s claim was very different from what Thum had posted – “Perhaps the MP didn’t read it,” they wrote.
In his post, Seah said: “It appears quite clear to me that PJ Thum does not wish Singapore well.” In the wake of the uproar, Seah on Monday apologised to the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) for mistakenly associating former political detainee Teo Soh Lung with the party in a Facebook post. However, he did not retract or clarify his statements about Thum’s post.
In light of the apparent differences between Thum’s original post and Seah’s response (and subsequent apology), do you think Seah overreacted?
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The Conundrum of Operation Coldstore
Actually I have stopped blogging since last year. Lately I have been intrigued by the persistent appeals of interested political observers to give my view on the controversial Operation Coldstore. I will make this my swan song.
I will try to give an objective view on Operation Coldstore without giving offence to any party be it the powers-that-be or the opposition. The bombastic submission on Operation Coldstore by the authentic reputed Oxford Historian Dr. Thum Ping Tjin to the Select Committee on deliberate falsehoods has created an unprecedented uproar to the members of the Select Committee as well as the public .Dr. Thum's submission seems to lack objectivity by presenting only one side of the picture without the opportunity of having the insight of the deliberations and discussions of the Internal Security Council (ISC) comprising Malaysian and British representatives which gave the approval to PM Lee Kuan Yew to proceed with Operation Coldstore. What the ISC discussed was top secret and not privy to the public. So it remained a secret how Lee Kuan Yew had been able to convince the ISC with his eloquence to give him the approval. Members of the ISC were not guillible people who could be easily persuaded.
That Operation Coldstore was mounted against the leaders of the Communist United Front ostensibly to pre-empt them from seizing power was never in doubt but that it had also helped Lee Kuan Yew in consolidating his position against his political opponents cannot be dismissed as a fact. Some of those detained can be described dyed-in-the-wool subversives but it cannot be denied that some may be less implicated. The fact that Dr. Thum Ping Tjin is an authentic reputed Oxford Historian can never be detracted by any amount of denigration by any party though there was no lack of such attempts as seen in his six-hour questioning in the Select Committee. The Operation Coldstore controversy will go on indefintely because there can never be a definitive conclusion to it.
Full Coverage:
Historian PJ Thum 'does not wish Singapore well', says MP Seah Kian Peng
MP Seah questions historian Thum for suggesting Spore is part of Malaysia
Malaysia PM Mahathir invited speak democracy conference by political activists
Shan on PJT's meeting with Mahathir:Whole conduct 'little sad' & ' bit regretful'
Law Minister throws weight behind PAP MP who slammed local activists
MP slams Thum for suggesting Sporeans celebrate M'sian independence day
Shan on PJ's meeting with Mahathir:Whole conduct 'little sad' & 'bit regretful'
'A little sad, & regretful': Shanmugam on activists' move to engage Mahathir
That KL meeting: And the winner is … Dr M
Shan on PJ's meet with Mahathir:Whole conduct 'a little sad' & 'a bit regretful'
K Shanmugam comments on activists' move to engage Mahathir
Historian sparks outrage after suggesting S'poreans should celebrate Merdeka
MP slams historian for saying Singapore is part of 'Malaya'
Spore minister: Conduct of historian who met Dr M 'a little sad' & 'a bit regretful'
Law Minister throw weight behind MP slammed activists after Mahathir meeting
MP Seah Kiang Peng calls historian PJT for comments after Mahathir meeting
'Absolute no-no' for Sporeans invite foreign leaders intervene domestic politics
Historian Thum Ping Tjin 'does not wish Singapore well': MP Seah Kian Peng
MP slams PJT suggesting S'pore should celebrate M'sian independence day
Spore outraged PJT suggest they shld also celebrate Malaysia's independence
MP Seah Kian Peng questions historian Thum suggest Spore part of Malaysia
Spore frowns on inviting foreign intervention after Sporean activists meet Dr M
Sad that activists engaged Dr Mahathir, says Singaporean minister
Singapore MP irked by suggestion S'poreans should celebrate Merdeka
S'pore MP takes historian to task for suggesting city-state is part of Malaya
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Goh Chok Tong & Tan Cheng Bock ‘do a Mahathir’?
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The 'Dr Mahathir-Activists KL Meeting' Saga
